How to judge the quality of dog food ingredients? Here are some things to pay attention to

The first item in the ingredient list is that animal sources are better than plant sources
Measuring the protein content in dog food does not directly measure the protein content, but measures the nitrogen content in the dog food. Then multiplied by a fixed conversion factor, the result is the crude protein content in dog food. In other words, there is no way to know the source of the protein and whether it is of high quality just by looking at the protein content. The plant protein contained in cereals is also collectively calculated as "crude protein".
So we also need to find the ingredient list of dog food on the package. The ingredients in the ingredient list are listed in order of content, that is, the ingredients with higher content are ranked higher. Therefore, dog food with animal names as the first few ingredients in the ingredient list is of higher quality than dog food with cereal names as the first few ingredients.
"Meat" is better than "meat meal", and meat with a name is better than meat without a name
For example, "chicken", "duck meat", "chicken meal", "duck meal", etc. If Simply labeling "meat", "poultry" or "meat meal" or "poultry meal", etc., all indicate that the source of protein is questionable. It is best to use meat with a name, such dog food is more reassuring.
Named fat sources are better than unnamed fat sources
For example, clearly named fat sources such as "chicken fat" and "duck fat" are better than "poultry fat" and other unnamed fat sources. The most suspicious thing is the general label "animal fat". This statement can theoretically refer to animal fat from any source, including gutter oil recycled from restaurants.
Check the ingredient list to see if there is dehydrated meat or Meat meal
If there is fresh meat in the ingredient list, it should also be supported by dehydrated meat or meat meal from certain animals. This can increase the overall animal protein content in the dog food; if not, explain this The ingredients of fresh meat are just a gimmick. Because fresh meat contains about 70% water, if only fresh meat is used, the protein content will be lower.
The fewer by-products in the ingredient list, the better
There are two major categories of by-products in dog food ingredients, one is animal by-products and the other is plant by-products.
Animal by-products refer to any part of an animal that is used for human consumption. These animals By-products not only contain low-quality protein, but also contain a large amount of chemicals, which are not good for dogs’ health.
Plant by-products, such as&ld"Plants and plant fiber" has no name. "Beet fiber" and "beet meal" are all kinds of residues, such as peas, lentils, potatoes, etc., which are regular plant names, which means they are of good quality. Of course, the more plant by-products appear, the more The higher the position in the ingredient list, the worse the quality of the dog food.
The ingredient list depends on food additives
For example, animal-derived taste enhancers, antioxidants, preservatives Agent (potassium sorbate), BHA, and propyl gallate are secondary to the natural antioxidant-vitamin E. At present, there are no strict requirements for domestic dog food product packaging instructions, and many smart manufacturers have begun to play tricks on the ingredient list and write down the ingredients. There is so much hype that "ground chicken", "selected beef" and "deep-sea fish" will all appear in the ingredient list of low-priced dog food. In Europe and the United States, there are strict regulations on the ingredient list of pets, and you should write whatever it is.